This invention pertains to an automotive airbag squib connector, and in particular to a method of molding the connector housing as one piece instead of several pieces.
Squib connectors which utilize plastic connector housings are widely used in the automotive airbag industry. Squib connectors are generally used to connect sensors at remote ares of the automobile to the detonation device of an airbag. Normally, three different piece-types are used in the construction of a squib connector housing. To make the squib connector housing, the three different piece-types are molded separately and then assembled together. The separate molding of each of the three different piece-types can be very expensive. For example, the separate molding of one piece-type can result in its over-production unless an inventory tracking system is implemented to ensure that no more than the quantity needed is actually produced. In addition, separate handling is required while molding each of the three different piece-types. Likewise, molding equipment must be re-tooled in order to manufacture each of the different piece-types.
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to eliminate the need to maintain an inventory tracking system to ensure that only correct quantities of each piece-type are manufactured.
Another object of the invention is to keep together only those piece-types needed in the assembly of one squib connector housing.
It is also an object of the invention to reduce the amount of handling and re-tooling needed to manufacture the piece-types used in assembling automotive airbag squib connector housings.